Resiliently mounted shaft hanger



8, 1953 E. J. HERBENAR RESILIENTLY MOUNTED SHAFT HANGER Filed Feb. 5, 1951 dwafd fo/212 /Yefbezzaff Patentedy Dec. 8, Vv1 `953 RESILIENTLY MOUNTED SHAFT HANGER .Edward J. Herbenar, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Thompson Products, Ine., Cleveland, Ohio., a

corporationof Ohio Application February` 5, 1951', Serial No. 209,445 1' claim. (c1. sos-2s).-

rlhis invention relates to a resiliently mounted:7

shaft hanger, and more particularly to a bearing housing shaft hanger having pre-loaded rubber bushings in all of the joints between theI hanger, the supporting frame and the bearing housing, whereby forces tending to displace the bearing housing are accommodated by distortionof' the rubber of the bushings, imparting limited universality or"y movement to the housing.

It is an object of this invention to provide a resilient hanger assembly for mounting a bear.- ing housing for a driven shaft, so arranged and constructed as to facilitate installation of the assembly and repairs thereto or replacement thereof.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a simple and rugged resiliently mounted hanger assembly for a driven shaft, in which limited universality of movement of the shaft and bearing housing are accommodated through distortion of the rubber of the pre-loaded rubber bushings that provide the resilient mounting of the assembly.

Other and further important objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claim.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a broken elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, illustrating a resilient shaft hanger assembly embodying. the priny ciples of my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevational view, taken substantially at right angles to the View shown in Figure 1, with parts broken away and in section and with the shaft shown in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line III- III of Figure 2.

As shown on the drawing:

The reference numeral Ill indicates generally a channel-shaped frame or supporting member, forming a part of the chassis or underframe of an automotive vehicle. As shown, the frame I has its open side facing upwardly and is provided with laterally extending flanges I I, I I running lengthwise of said open side, while the closed side of said channelis formed by the web portion I2, which normally lies in a substantially horizontal plane. It will be understood that other forms and dimensions of supporting frame may be employed, but my present invention is especially suited for installation from a channel member closed on its lower side.

The reference numeral I3 indicates generally the hanger and bearing housing assembly of my invention, arranged for suspension from the 2 closed bottom sideV I2 of the channel I0. A pair of mounting brackets I4', I4 are provided to effectk the suspension of the assembly I2. Each of said brackets I4 includes a stud I5 which passes through suitable apertures (not shown) in the closed webportion I2 and is attached thereto by means of a. nut I6. The shaft of the stud I5 alsopasses through the spaced legs I1, Il: of a U-Shaped strap I8, in the bight of which ispcsitioned. a pre-loaded rubber bushing |25. A U- shaped spacer meinber 22 partially encloses and f extends along the shaft ofthe stud I5, with: its closed` loop portion 2l held" against the pre- .loaded rubber bushing I9 by the shaft of said stud I5. The portion of the loop 2| that is in contact with the stud shaft I5 is contoured, as

at 22, to conform with the cylindrical surface of the shaft of the stud. A lock washer 23, between the head of the stud I5 and the lower length I1 of the U-shaped strap I8 holds the bracket subassembly in assembled condition.

A C-shaped hanger 2i is mounted from the channel frame I by means of a plurality, in this case two, of bracket sub-assemblies I4, the long side 25 of the hanger being resiliently mounted in the pre-loaded bushings I9, with the hanger in a generally vertical plane. Said hanger 24 is preferably formed of an integral cylindrical bar, bent into the form of a C, with its short end portions 26 lying in spaced, opposed and aligned relationship. A shaft bearing housing, indicated generally by the reference numeral 2l, is mounted between said short end portions 25 for journalling a driven shaft 28. Said bearing housing 27 is formed of a pair of mating, stamped metal shells 29, 29, held together by means of bolts 30. The shells 29, 29, together, provide aligned socket portions 3|, 3|, the centerline C-L of which is offset from the axis A of the bearing housing, or shaft. As illustrated, the centerline C-L lies above the axis A, but it will be understood that the bearing housing may be inverted to bring the axis A above the centerline.

A preloaded rubber bushing 32 is positioned in each of the sockets 3I for resiliently mounting the short ends 25 of the hanger. Each of said rubber bushings 32 is closed at its inner end, as at 33, and, in general, resembles a thimble.

While a specic form of bearing housing is not a part of the present invention, it is illustrated as an anti-friction bearing provided with a ball race 34, the inner race 35 of which is suitably afxed to the shaft 28 between outer flanged members 35, 36, the axially extending flanges of which extend into openings in the bearing housing shells Z9, 29, provided for that purpose. An assembly 37 of felt and metal rings is positioned on the inside of each of the shells 29 to keep dirt or other foreign matter from entering the space occupied by the ball bearing race 34. The bearing housing 2 is thus of the sealed type.

The construction of the bearing housing and hanger assembly above described provides for resilient mounting of the bearing'housing and for ease of assembly and adjustment thereof. As Will be apparent, the closed loop end of the bracket straps I8 may be positioned. on either side of the stud 55, or the stud itself may be moved laterally with respect tothe median plane of the channel frame i6, if lateral adjustment is required. In order to vary the spacing of the axis A from the channel frame Hl, it is only necessary to employ a C-shaped hanger having the desired dimensions between the parallel long and short end portions. Alternatively, the bearing housing 2'! may be inverted to position'its airis A above the centerline C-L, instead of .below it, if this amount of adjustment is desired.

The provision of pre-loaded rubber bushings in all the joints between the hanger and the supporting frame and betvveenthe hanger and the shaft bearing housing not only accommodates movement of the housing relative to the frame but also eliminates all metal-to-rnetal contact at the joints, since, of course, the frame, bracket subasseznblies, hanger and housing are all normally made o metal or a metalalloy..

AIt will be understood that modifications and of said strap and said metal spacer and com variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts or" the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

A resilient shaft hanger comprising a plurality of supporting brackets, each including a U- shaped metal strap, a bolt and a metai spacer between the legs of said strap hai/ing a portion cenforming to said bolt and extending lengthwise and laterally of said bolt, an integral metal bai' bent in the form of a C having a long portion extending through said brackets and having parallel short portions 'terminating in spaced cpposed ends, a metal bearing housing ier a driven shaft between said -ends having aligned sockets for receiving said ends, a pre-loaded rubber bush ing in each of said brackets betr-.teen the bigh EDVRD J.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Date 1,371,116 ings- Aug. 9, 'i932 Guy Sept. Z8, 19e? 

